Lace mechanism for straight knitting machines



Nov. 3, 1936. M. RICHTER LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 15, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m m m A TTORN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o c 0000000000000 .0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0wooooooooooooo m w 000000000000000000000000 0 o 0 v 0 w 0 0 o 0 0 0 lv 0 owmooo00000000V00000000000000000 0 0 0 OODOOWOOOOOOOOOOOOOODOOWO 0 O O D O 0 o m m wzw szo mwowwwwmwww8 OUQOOGOODOODODDOOOOOOOOU Nov. 3, 1936. M. RICHTER 2,059,806

LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

Nov. 3, 1936, M. RICHTER 2,059,806

LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1953 9 sheets-sheet 3 F1. E- ii.

. f IIYVENTOR:

Nov. 3, 1936. RlcHTER 2,059,806

LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 E- 5 I w 7 5 4 i l E; El; J0

llIIIIl-T-T-"w& I 98 $2 INVENTOR.

3; 1936. M. RICHTER v LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 15, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 3, 1936.

M. RICHTER LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 3, 1936. M. RICHTER 2,059,806

LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1935 S'Sheets-Sheet 7 IN VEN TOR.

M. RICHTER Nov. 3, 1936,

9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed" Oct. 15, 195:5

INVENTOR:

Nov. 3, 1936. RlcHTER 2,059,806

LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1:5, 1955 e Sheets$heet 9 I EI'VTON: 1

Patented Na. 3, 1936 PATENT OFFICE LACE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Max Richter, West Reading, Pa... assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissin'g, Pan, a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 13, 1933, Serial No. 693,454

3 Claims.

tically all cases of machines equipped with standard lace devices or mechanisms it has not been possible to cause a plurality of separate lace fingers at each knitting section, mounted on lace rods movable independentlyof the narrowing rods, to move simultaneously toward or away from each other, but only unidirectionally.

Furthermore, in cases where a. design to be produced has included a plurality of repeated figures in a given section, as for instance at the opposite sides of a stocking blank, the resiiltant design has been unsymmetrical in that the repeated figures in a single knitting section have been duplicatesand identical in arrangement, rather than allochiral. This has imposed a limitation upon the character of such designs to more or less regular and uniform geometrical shapes or patterns; that is to say, a design including an angular or curved portion would have the angular or curved portion extending in the same direction in the repeated figure or figures, and it has not been possible to produce lace clock openings in fanciiully curved or arbitrarily arranged figures or designs which are complementary to each other, in the respect that one is a reversed replica of the other, so that the repeated figures produce a desired symmetrical effect.

Also, in view of the fact that the simultaneous movements of the lace fingers in prior constructions have been unidirectional, the area or needle distance in which the lace fingers have been able to operate has necessarily been subject to restriction, so that complete designs produced at the center of the knitted fabric blank, as for decoration of the instep portion of the finished stocking, have been limited to a thirty needle movement'or less of the lace fingers.

An important object of the present invention is to enable a standard full fashioned knitting machine to produce symmetrically curved or otherwise shaped lace clock or other designs by simple and eflicient means whereby the usual ,lace or transfer points are rendered movable simultaneously toward or away from each other in each half of the knitting section as well as across the center of the knitted blank, and insimultaneously oppositely movable lace rods each it of which carries lace fingers and lace points applicable to each of a plurality of sections of the knitting machine.

A further object is the provision of a motion reversing device of the foregoing character for 15 use with full fashioned knitting machines equipped with standard lace attachments whereby the movement of the usual point shifting mechanism is communicated to a pair of lace rods in such manner that the latter are op- 2G positely moved toward or away form each other, carrying the lace points. therewith and making 'possible the production of complementary curved or other designs covering a distance of at least sixty needles, in contradistinction to the usual 25 thirty needles, at the center of the leg blank for formation of instep or other decorations.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a simplified lace clock attachment of the foregoing type for full fashioned knitting 30 machines which may readily be supplied to existing installations'whereby the machines may be easily equipped to produce complementary knitted designs.

The invention further includes a novel method 35 of producing complementary lace clock hosiery ornamentations on standard full fashioned knitting machines.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed 40 description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel methods, elements of construction, mechanisms and combination of parts in cooperative relationship, as 5 hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the mechanism in accordance with one form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of automatic narrowing head control mechanism adapted for use in conjunction with certain mechanisms of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line, 44-of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view looking from above and-generally in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 4, showing details of the lace mechanism with certain parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 looklngalong the line 6-45, with certain parts of the mechanism broken away;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line l--| of Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views of the design or pattern cam members employed in the lace mechamsm;

Fig. 10 is a partial front elevational view of a full fashioned knitting machine showing a modified form of the invention applicable to machines suppliedwith conventional lace clock attachments. Fig. 11 is a plan view of certain parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10, taken substantially on the line ll-ll .of the latter figure;

Fig. 12 is a'vertical sectional view taken su stantially on the line l2l2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a front view of another form of device for effecting opposed movement of the lace finger rods, with certain parts of the device broken away; and

-Full Fashioned Knitting Machine catalogue,

copyrighted 1929, and published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the numerals 20 and 2| designate opposite edges of the lower part of the leg portion of a full fashioned stocking blank, including the usual narrowing or fashion marks 22 and 23 at the edges 20, and 2| respectively. The stocking blank is provided with an ornamentation produced in accordance with the invention, here shown as lace clocking in two complementary portions 24 and 25 at the opposite edges of the blank. It will be seenthat the ornamental figure 24 initiates in a regular geometrical pattern extending Wale-wise 0f the blank and terminates in a portion 26 extending downwardly, inwardly and upwardly in a curved path toward the center of the blank.

With lace mechanism as heretofore used, having two lace points operating unidirectionally, the ornamental portion 25 would be an exact counterpart of the portion 24, with its lower portion 21 extending in the same direction as the portion 26, outwardly toward the edge 2| of the flat stocking blank so that when the stocking had been completed and seamed one of the lower ornamental portions. would extend toward the instep and the other toward the heel of the stocking. In accordance with the present invention, however, the lace-points operate in opposite directions, toward and away from each other, so

that the several corresponding parts of the respective ornamental portions are not only substantial counterparts of each other, but are also complementary, as shown in Fig. 1, resulting in asymmetrical and balanced design effect with the ornamental parts 26 and 21 extending toward 5 figured parts of the design, thus functioning as 10 an external or internal outline or border for the combination and presenting a balanced appearance. The form of the design shown in Fig. 1

is for illustrative purposes only; practically an unlimited range of the design effects is possible 5 as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 9 of the drawings, there 'is shown one form of lace mechanism in accordance with the invention applicable to a full fash- 'ioned knitting machine not previously equipped 20 with a lace clock attachment. The machine in this instance is shown as comprising a frame of conventional construction including front and back beams 14 and I5, front and center beds 16 and I1, and frames l8 in which is mounted the main cam shaft 28 provided with the usual knitting'cams for actuating the bank of needles 29 and coacting loop forming elements in the well known manner.

The narrowing mechanism N is of the usual 30 construction and includes the narrowing points 19 carried on narrowing rods 44 slidablymounted in supports 43 secured to the front narrowing shaft 10 of the narrowing machine, the necessary vertical movements being imparted to the narrowing points by dipping the narrowing machine through lift levers 51 pivotally connected to the front narrowing shaft, the levers 51 being actuated by rollers 58 which" are in engagement with narrowing lift earns 59 when the cam shaft is 49 shogged to the narrowing position by the shifting mechanism S under control of the pattern chain motion mechanism C.

The lace mechanism includes various elements of the narrowing mechanism and at least two 45 lace rods 39 and 40 each having at least one lace, point, 3| and 32 respectively, operable in the same knitting section. There is also preferably, although not necessarily, provided a' picot rod 42, the latter carrying the picot bars 30. 50

Each of the foregoing rods is carried by the narrowing machine which im'parts the necessary vertical movements thereto, the operation of the lace and picot mechanism being controlled by shifting the cam shaft to the narrowing position. 55

Since the lace clocking mechanism D and the narrowing brackets 43, maintaining the rods 44 and narrowing fingers l9, are both aflixed to the front narrowing shaft 10, they are, in tum,-

unitedly moved up and down therewith during 60 each revolution of the cam shaft 28 while in its shifted position; nevertheless, auxiliary nfeans is provided to permit for independent operative" actions of either the lace or narrowing rods as generally illustrated in Fig. 3. The chain motion 65 mechanism C, Figs. 2 and 3, includes a pattern chain 66 having series of control buttons aifixed thereon. The buttons of series 3 determine the courses in which a narrowing operationis to take place and control the regular narrowing shifting 70 movement of the cam shaft through actuation of the shifting device S in the'well known manner, and simultaneously actuate the narrowing head mechanism N in a manner hereinafter described; while the buttons 6 and G1 coopera- 76 aosaaos I 3 tively function to determine which courses shall be lace pattern courses by causing shifting of the shaft 28, without actuating the narrowing head mechanism, in predetermined courses when'effecting the lace clock design.

In order to operate the lace clocking unit D so as to impart the desired transverse movement to the point rods 39 and 30, without operating the narrowing heads indicated at N, the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is employed. Thus coincident with the positioning of one of the buttons 51 beneath the lower extension'of the pivoted lever 68, one of the buttons in the track 6 is operatively positioned beneath the lever l. The clockwise movement of 58 imparts a similar movement to the support member 565 through means of the intermediate link 69 thereby,breakarm 54 and, in turn, permitting the cam follower 55 to follow the contour of. its respective cam 56;

said action being effected through means of the coil spring $5, Fig. 4, whereupon the unit D is operated thereby in the desired manner ashoreinafter more fully described. Meanwhile, the raising of lever I by one of the buttons 6 lifts the lock lever 8 through means of. the intermediate screw 9, aihxed to said lever l, which abuts the extension 8a of lock lever 83. Releasing the lock lever 8 from engagement with the recessed por- -tion of plunger t permits the cam shaft shagging mechanism S to operate in the usual way, thereby axially shifting cam shaft 28 into the position necessary to operate the lace clocking mechanism D in the desired manner.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the narrowing head actuating cam 52 is sufficiently removed from its respective cam follower l3, so that shifting of the cam shaft 28 will not in itself bring said members 82 and 53 into cooperative engagement with each other; consequently, during the operation of the lace clock unit D, as previously explained, the narrowing head mechanism N will remain inoperative.

' When the usual narrowing stitches are to be effected independent of the lace clocking mechanism one of the narrowing buttons 3 of the respective series, Fig. 3, is positioned beneaththe horizontally extending arm (not shown) of lever i in turn copivotally mounted with the lever i and lock lever d on the stud and has a portion thereof (not shown) extending beneath the lock lever t. Thus counter clockwise movement of lever'l effected by button 3 imparts corresponding movement to the latch I! while the lock lever B is raised out of engagement with the plunger Ill causing the cam shaft 28 to be shifted in manner heretofore explained without, however, placing the mechanism D into operation. The lever i is connected by a rod to with the latch H controlling the dropping of a roller 35a. into operative engagement with a face cam 35 mounted on the cam shaft 28. The roller 350;is carried on a swinging extension 360, of a centrally pivoted lever 35 connected to the upper end of a centrally pivoted lever 3'5. The lower end of lever 37 is connected to a rod H which slidably controls, by means of a centrally pivoted lever 2, the position of the shiftable roller i3 relative to the cam 62. The roller 83 is carried by a lift lever 38 which controls the operation of the narrowing head mechanism in a manner well known in the art. Thus the operative positioning of one of the buttons in series 3 beneath the horizontally extending arm of lever l in addition to lifting the lock lever 8 and thereby placing the cam shaft shifting mechanism into operation, will likewise, through means of the intermediate members heretofore detailed, shift roller is leftward, Fig. 2, into alignment with its respective cam 42 whereupon the narrowing mechanism N will operate independent of the lace clock unit D. The roller t coacting with a cam surface on the periphery of cam 35 is used to lift lever 36aand permit latch it to engage and inoperatively maintain the lever 3% following the operation thereof. Simultaneous operative positioning of buttons from each of the series 3, 5 and 57! will cause the narrowing mechanism N and the lace clocking unit D to effect narrowing stitches and lacework in the same knitted course; consequently by positioning the control buttons in the desired sequence either independent or combined operation of the narrowing and lace units may readily be effected.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 andd the lace points 3! and 32 of each knitting section are carried by lace fingers 33 and it, these fingers being carried by a pair of lace point rods 39 and to respectively. In accordance with the invention the lace point rods 39 and 60 are mounted for reciprocable movement toward and away from each other in bearings M carried by front narrowing shaft W.

Pivotally attached to the arm t5, in surrounding relation with the pin #6, is one end of a forked actuating link at. the link Al is pivotally connected to a lever 68 which is pivotally mounted on the back narrowing shaft t9. Pivotally attached to the lever to is one end of a link 5d, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to one arm 56 of a lever 52. The lever 52 is plvotally mounted at 53 to a fixed portion of the machine.

with a cam follower 55 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam 5t secured to the main cam shaft 28, whereby each revolution of said cam shaft, while thelatter is in its shogged position, through the system of levers, links, etc., just described, causes simultaneous rotation of the lace point rod actuating cams El and 78 hereinafter described in detail.

The lever 52 is normally held out of operative engagement with the cam 56 by means of an upwardly extending supporting rod M, the lower end ti of which is rockably mounted on a pin 2 extending forwardly from a bracket 63 fixed to a portion of the machine. The end of the arm 58 is arranged to be normally seated in a recess 64 formed in the upper end of the supporting rod 50. A tension spring 65 supported on the back narrowing shaft 49 and connected to the outer end of the lever arm portion 5 I tends to normally maintain the lever 52 in position upon the support to, and also to maintain t e follower 55 in engagement with the cam 56 when the support til has been withdrawn from the lever arm portion 5d.

Means are preferably provided to predeterminedly release the lever 52 from the support 60, thus to control the action of the cam 55 upon the lever 52 in the latters movement efl'ecting operation of the lace point rods 39 and Ni. In this instance said means consist of a pattern chain 56 having a plurality of buttons t'l operable on a pivoted lever 68 which acts through a rod '69 to actuate the support rod 59 by moving the latter away from the lever arm 56, thus causing the follower 55 to traverse the cam 56.

The opposite end of As a means for operating the lace point rods 38 and 48, the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2 to 9 includes a novel lace clock attachment indicated generally at D. Rigidly secured to the front narrowing shaft 18 is a bracket 12 which is provided with a bearing 13 for rigidly supporting a transversely extending shaft 14 one end of which is screw threaded into said bearing.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 14 is a ratchet wheel provided with a hub 16 having a pair of eccentric cam discs 11 and 18 secured thereto by suitable screw fastenings 18; and between the cam 18 and ratchet wheel 15 there is freely mounted an actuator member 88, arranged for cooperation with the ratchet wheel, as hereinafter described. One end of the hub 16 is held in frictional engagement with a spacing member 8I provided at the bearing 13 by means of a resilient plate or brake element 82 which engages the outer face of the ratchet wheel 15 at the opposite end of the hub 16, whereby the ratchet wheel and cam discs are maintained in relative fixed position during reverse movements of a pawl 83 carried by the member 88, by which intermittent rotation of the ratchet wheel and cam discs in one direction is effected. I

The pawl 83 is pivotally mounted at 84, on the actuator member 88. The actuator is rocked inone direction by a coiled spring 86 having one end attached to the actuator and its opposite end secured to an anchorage 81 which is secured to the front narrowing rod 18.

Movement of the actuator 88 in an opposite direction to advance the lace rod cams 11 and 18 step by step in accordance with the spacing of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 15 is effected by a bell crank lever 88 which. is pivotally mounted on-the bracket 12 as seen at 88, with one arm 88 of said bell crank underlying and engaging an arm 8I formed on and extending from the actuator member 88, the second arm 82 of the bell crank lever lying in engagement with the pin 46 mounted in and extending laterally from the arm 45 mounted on the narrowing rod 18.

Means are provided to operatively connect the cam discs 11 and 18 and the lace point rods 38 and 48, respectively, whereby the latter are selectively shifted longitudinally in opposite directions, toward or away from each other, to adjust the lace points of each section, (for instance the points 3| and 32), different distances apart for production of various desired transferred loop effects in the knitting.

The cam discs 11 and 18 in this instance are of like eccentric form andof increasing diameter in opposite directions as seen in Figs. 8 and 9. Each has its smallest diameter portion 83 and its widest diameter portion 84 initiating and terminating,respectively, in the same radial plane. A plurality of elevations and depressions 85 and 86 respectively, are formed along the outer edge, with a dwell 81 between the portions 83 and 84 (81a. in Fig. 9'). These elevations and depressions constitute stepped cam surfaces arranged to determine the engaging position and extent of movement of the lace point rods.

Cooperating with the cam discs 11 and 18 are a pair of crossed actuating levers 88 and 88 pivotally mounted on a short shaft I 88 extending from the bracket 12. Thelevers 88 and 88 are provided with cam follower portions including rollers I8I of the cams 11 and 18, and depending forked toe portions I83 and I84. respectively arranged to engage collars I85 and I86, respectively, provided on the lace point rods 38 and 48.

Means are provided to maintain the cam follower rollers I8I and I82in continuous engagement with the cam discs and the toes I83 and I84 in engagement with the collars I85 and I86 whereby pivotal movements of the levers 88 and 88, effected by rotation of the cam discs, are transmitted to the respective lace point rods. For this purpose a pair of lever's I81 and I88 are pivotally mounted on the front narrowing rod 18, these levers having toes I88 and H8 arranged to press against collars III and H2 respectively provided on the point rods 38 and 48 and being continuously held in such bearing relation by coiled springs H3 and H4 suitably anchored to a stationary portion of the machine frame.

Each of the depressions 86 in the edges of the cams 11 and 18- may be arranged to correspond to one or more needle spaces in the knitting field of the machine, according to the pattern to be worked in the knitted article and the two pattern cams 11 and 18 are preferably enabled to position the lace points 3I and 32 in any desired spaced relation up to a total of approximately sixty needle spaces, in any desired location across the knitting field of the machine.

The dipping operation of the lever 52 -will in each instance effect a simultaneous advance of the cams 11 and 18 a distance equal to one of the depressions 86; and as the cams are faced in opposing relation the cam 18 will be moved clockwise in the direction of its increasing radius and the cam 11 also clockwise in the direction of its decreasing radius. be actuated by the cams 11 and 18 and will in turn engage the collars I85 and I86, which are constantly pressed against the toes I83 and I84 by means of the springs H3 and II 4.

In the form illustrated in the drawings the lever 88 will eilect movement of the lace point 32 to the left while the lever 88 will effect movement of the point 3| to the right, so that the points will be caused to approach each other to the extent determined by the configuration of the depressions 86 and the number of dips of the lever 52, which latter movement is prescribed by the buttons 61 on the pattern chain 66. When the :cams have traversed to the limit of their rotative movement the follower I82 of lever 88 will have reached the outer portion 84 of cam 18, and the follower I8I of lever as will be located in the dwell 81. At this point the cam piece 85 operatively positioned in the raceway 15a of the ratchet wheel 15, coacts with the arm 83a of pawl 83 to raise the latter out of engagement with 15; whereupon, the operation of the cams 11 and 18 and, in turn, the point bars 38 and 48 is discontinued. The handle 83!) is provided for manually lifting the pawl 83 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 15. The cams are then returned to their initial positions, shown in Fig. 6, by means of a hand wheel II5, provided as a means for manually setting the cam discs to the desired starting or other position, during such return of the lever-followers the lace points will be moved away from each other, in position to recommence the prescribed cycle of operative movement toward each other. 4

The hand wheel H5 is loosely mounted on a collar II6 provided on a screw'threaded exten sion I I1 of the shaft 14, and is normally held outand I82 respectively, arranged to engage the edges wardly against a stop head I I8 at the end of the collar II6 by means of a spring I I8. The hand wheel is provided with an inwardly extendin finger I20 the free end of which is disposed substantially opposite, and adjacent to the teeth of the ratchet wheel l5 whereupon, by moving the hand wheel inwardly against the action of the spring I I9 the said free end of the finger engages one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and locks the said hand wheel to the ratchet wheel, whereupon rotation of the hand wheel in one direction or the other will correspondingly rotate the ratchet wheel and the cam discs I? and I8 operatively connected therewith. Upon releasing the hand wheel the spring will return the same to its outer inoperative position, releasing the. finger 20 from the ratchet wheel to permit normal operation of the latter.

The depressions $6 in the'cam edges may be arranged in any desired way, so as to represent the pattern to be worked outin the knitted material. That is to say, a single depression may represent any desired number of needle spaces; and the elevations may likewise beof any desired height or duration; Also, the elevations and depressions in the two cams may be arranged so that the lace points may be caused to move back and forth any number of times while dipping in a single course.

During the step by step movement of the lace points toward each other any desired number of'dips may be made to pick up loops from certain of the needles 29 and transfer the same to other needles for the production" of a y predetermined complementary lace clock. effect, as prescribed by the usual pattern. chain controlled mechanism of the knitting machine.

The dipping motion for picking and transferring the stitch loops, in the present instance, is substantially the same as that used in well known conventional types of fiat knitting machines of the type noted, and further detailed explanation of the construction and operation thereof is therefore deemed unnecessary in the present case.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings illustrate an application of the invention to a conventional full fashioned knitting machine provided with.

lace clock mechanism L for controlling movements of the lace points two of which, designated I23 and I24 respectively, are provided in each knitting section of the machine. The machine embodies the usual narrowing lift mechanism including narrowing lift levers 51a, cam followers 58a and cams 59a, and also the conventional needle actuating mechanisms comprising needle cam "and lever members 220-422 and presser cam and lever members 223 -225.

The lace points H3 and I24 are carried by holders or fingers H25 and I26 rigidly secured to lace rods I 2'! and 525 respectively, mounted for movement longitudinally of the machine in guide arms I 29 secured to the front narrowing shaft l 35, which latter also carries a lock stitch or picot shaft I30. The machine also includes, for each knitting section, a conventional needle bar I32, narrowing points I33 and narrowing mechanism N for operating the latter, such narrowing mechanism including the front narrowing shaft I35 secured to the guide arm. I35 carried on the back narrowing shaft IN, and the narrowing rods I38 mounted in the brackets 839 secured to the front narrowing shaft 035.

The lace point rods l2'i and I28 are provided, intermediate their ends, with opposing rack portions M and Hi, joined together by a small pinion I42 fixed in a housing M3 mounted on the front narrowing shaft H35. A collar M4 is arranged on the lace point rod I2? for coopera- Any of the various known types of lace point rod actuating mechanisms suitable for the purpose may be employed to actuate the rod I28; preferably, and, as shown, the Reading lace clock attachment is employed for this purpose, this attachment and its operation in connection with the Reading full fashioned knitting machine being well-known in the art and described in a brochure entitled Reading Lace Clock Attachments (copyright 1931) published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania.

* In the present instance the lace clock mechanism L is employed to shift the lace point rods and hence the lace points to different predetermined positions. Such mechanism here includes a slidingstop member I50 arranged to cooperate with a guide bracket I5! through the medium of which the lace point rod I28 is shifted to the right, the end of the latter rod being engaged as seen at H52. This causes the rack MI to move through the housing I43 and imparts rotational movement to the pinion M2. The pinion, being fixed, therefore, pulls the lace rod I2! to the left, thus imparting opposed motion to the lace rods.

Consequently, if the point finger I26 on the left end of the knitting head is moved to the right the finger I25 on the right will be moved to the left, thus resulting in the production of complementary symmetrical design portions in the knitted fabric as described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2 to 9. In the present instance the extent of the shifting movement imparted to the lace rods is determined in the following manner.

The design to be reproduced in the knitted article is prescribed by a pattern chain I53 having, in this instance three rows of screws I 54,

applying to loop selection of ten different heights, fastened to the chain I53 and arranged to be successively brought to position under the adjustable end of one of three stepped segment levers I55. Each lever is provided with ten steps, the steps being advanced successively to cover a distance of three needles. The two points thus afford a working spread of sixty needles, imparting a wide range to the design possibilities of the invention.

The lace point rods I21 and 028 are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 10 by means of a vertical slide member i56 having a cam face arranged to engage a follower I51 provided on the guide bracket I5I, which latter is rigidly connected to the sliding stop I50. At the same time the segment levers I55 are held up by a fork E59 connected to the vertical slide I56, so

that the proper pattern screw may be moved stationary until the narrowing machine has dropped down, caused the lace points to pick up their loops, and cleared the tips of the needles.

At this point the eccentric stud I60 on which the three segments I55 are mounted will be oscillated through the action of a cam linkage I50, and the segment will be forced a one-needle distance to the right, carrying with it the guide I5I and point rod I28, and moving the point rod I21 to the left. The points then place the lifted loops over the needles adjacent to those from which they were removed. The segment is again held stationary until the loops have been replaced on the respective needles and the narrowing machine again lifted. Afterthis has occurred the pattern screw is moved from contact with the segment, .the segments and vertical slide are returned to their initial highest positions, and the machine will then be ready to position the points for another lace operation.

Provision is made to effect left or right movement of the segments I55, during loop shifting, through means of the cams I22 and I34 and their respective followers I22a and I34a which, in turn, operate the cam linkage I58. Clockwise oscillation of the eccentric stud I60, effected during the operation of cam I22, shifts the segments a oneneedle distance to the left; whereas, a counterclockwise oscillatory action of I60, produced by the cam I34 shifts the segments a corresponding distance to the right. The presence of a screw in the loop shifting row of the pattern chain I53 controls leftward loop shifting of the segments I55; whereas the absence of a screw causes a. right shifting thereof.

A lace course regulator R is provided as part of the lace clock attachment L, as a means for automatically counting the number of plain courses to ,be knitted between any two lace courses, depending upon the'height of the control screw on the course regulator section of the pattern chain I53. The motion of the course regulator segment, which is acted upon by the pattern chain, is transmitted through levers I6I and I62 to a stepped counter plate or segment I63 which works between the end of a bell crank lever I64, operated by the cam shaft I65, and a slide member I66. Toward the end of the lace making cycle this bell crank I64 is forced to the right by the action of a cam on the cam shaft, this motion in turn being transmitted to the counter plate I63. A part of the counter plate motion is then communicated to the slide member I66, the amount of movement depending upon which step of the counter plate is in position to function.

A rod I61, rigidly connected to slide member I66, carries hook I13; thus when I61 is'in its extreme left position I13 lifts the regular chain motion lock lever I which releases the usual cam shaft shifting mechanism. A ratchet I69 is connected to the slide member I66 by means of a rack and pinion I10, this ratchet I69 being moved one tooth to the left during each knitting cycle by means of a cam lever I1I acting on a pawl I12. r

Provision is made to effect dipping of the narrowing machine for operation of the lace clocking attachment without activating the narrowing head N, Fig. 10, through means of the roller shifting device mechanism, shown in Fig. 11, which is substantially the same as that previously explained in conjunction with the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3. However, in this case the cam follower 206 is positioned adjacent the narrowing head actuating cam 201 and will in turn, normally become aligned therewith whenever the cam shaft I is rightwardly shifted; thus, the cam follower must be shifted along with I65 whenever the latter is axially repositioned to produce lace work. Thus when the buttons 208.on the main pattern chain 209 lift the lock lever I68 the machine will be operated through the usual narrowing cycle; whereas, when said lock lever I60 is tripped by hook I13, which forms a part of the lace clock attachment, a lace clocking operation will be effected.

Coincident with the tripping of the lock lever I68 by hook I13 fastened to and moving in con- 1 junction with rod I61, member 2I I, in turn fastened to I61, through means of the affixed set screw 2I0 abuts latch 2I2 and allows a roller 2I3 to drop into operative engagement with a'face cam 2I4 mounted on the cam shaft I65. The roller is carried on a swinging extension 2I5a of a centrally pivoted lever 2I5 connected to a rod 2I6 which slidably controls, by means of a centrally pivoted lever 2I1, the position of the shiftable roller 206 relative to the cam 201. The roller 2I9 operates in the manner previously described to raise the roller 2I3 out of alignment with the face cam 2 following the operation thereof. The roller 206 is carried by a lift lever 2I0 which controls the operationof the narrowing head mechanism N in the usual well known manner. It will be observed in contrast to the mechanism of Fig. 3, that this device shifts the narrowing head cam follower 206 in the direction of cam shaft shifting during the formation of lace and remains inoperative during narrowing; the reverse action takes place in the aforesaid device illustrated in Fig. 3.

At the end of the lace forming cycle the slide member I66, rod I61 and ratchet I69 are moved to the right a distance corresponding to the number of plain courses desired.- Then, at each knitting revolution the ratchet I69, slide member I66 and rod I61 are progressively moved back toward the left until the lever I13 lifts the chain motion lock lever I60, which in turn allows the cam shaft I65 to be shifted in the usual manner, thus bringing the lace clock mechanism L into operation. Lace clocking now continues in the same course until a link of the pattern chain I53 bearing a screw I54 to act on the course regticulariy in relation to the means for conjointly actuating the lace point rods, here designated I14 and I15. In this inst-ance the point rods are supported and guided in operative'position by a plurality oi. housing members I29 which also carry the lock stitch or picot shaft I11.

The housing member I16 as shown includes a back plate I10 which is suitably secured to the front of a bracket I19 through which the narrowing rods I80 and I8'I extend. A-plurality of such brackets are suitably secured to the front narrowing shaft I02 as by bolts I83.

To move the lace point rods I14 and I15 in unison, the housing member I16 is formed with a pair of spaced channels I84 and I85 parallel with and close to the bores through which the lace point rods extend; and a pair of rectangular slide members I85 and I81 are freely movable within said channels. Each of the slide members is provided with a central rectangular open portion, designated I88 and I89, respectively, and a pair of bearing shoes I90 and I9I.,,of substantially the same width but of less height than the openings I88 and I89, are mounted within the latter. These shoes I90 and I9I are joined by a rocker I92 which has a central pivotal mounting in the body of the housing. and is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the shoes I90 and HI as seen at I93 and I94 respectively.

The sides of the housing are extended outwardly between the channel portions I84 and I85 as seen at 200 and 20 I, to a point substantially flush with the outer surface of the rocker I92; and a cover plate 202 is secured to the body of the housing to enclose the rocker and other parts. The central part of this cover engages the outer ends of the side extension portions 200 and 2M and includes a bearing 203 for the outer end of the rocker spindle I95 while the ends of the cover plate abut against the front wall of the housing body. A central chamber 204 is thus afiorded for movement of the rocker, while the housing portions 290 and 20I are-arranged to function as stops to limit movement of the rocker in both directions. However, the inner edges 205 of the portions 200 and 2M may be beveled to afford a full range of oscillatory movement to the rocker as determined by the travel of the shoes I90 and MI in their respective angular openings.

The arrangement of the slides, shoes and rocker is such that as the slide I88 is moved to the left, for instance, the shoe I90 will move with the slide and by reason of its connection with the rocker I92 will move downward in the angular opening I88 as it turns the rocker about its pivotal mounting at the spindle I95. At the same time the shoe I9I at the opposite end of the rocker will communicate the latters oscillatory movement to the slide I81, and the slide I81 will be moved to the right as the shoe I9I moves upward in the angular opening I89. The opposite movement of the two slides will continue until the shoes reach the respective ends of the angular openings; and thereafter a reversal of movement imparted to either of the slides will.result in communication of opposed movement to the other slide in like manner.

The movement of the slides I86 and I81 as just described is communicated to the lace point rods I14 and I15 by means of collars I98 and I91 secured to the rod I18 in abutting overlapping relation with opposite ends of the slide I86, and similar collars I98 and I99 secured upon the rod I15 in like relation to the slide I81. Thus as one lace point rod is moved in one direction, its movement will be translated into an oppositedirectional movement of the other point rod.

The lace point rods I14 and I15 may be operated by lace clock mechanism in a manner similar to the lace point rods I21 and I28 shown in Fig. 10, or in any other suitable way.

The collars I05 and I08 may be adjustably mounted on the lace point rods so as to cooperate with different sized cams 11 and 18 and the earns 11 and 18 may also be of difierent individual shapes or patterns for production of different cycles of movement for the lace point rods.

Any of the lace point holders may also be adjustably mounted on the lace point rods so that the points may be secured in any desired position; and any number of lace points may be used on the rods in each section of the machine.

The present invention makes possible the production of practically any curved or otherwise shaped design in complementary, symmetrical form. Also, designs covering a distance of sixty needles can be produced at the center of the leg blank of a stocking to form an instep design when the stocking is seamed; and this results in the production of a distinctly new and eifective decorated stocking.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

'1. A full-fashioned stocking knitting machine comprising points each for forming a lace clock like the clock formed by another point, and means for simultaneously actuating the points each to form successive lace openings on the center of its clock in a stocking blankbeing knitted and to form lace openings at either side of the center'of the clock in figures reverse to the corresponding figures at the opposite sides of the center of another clock, said means in cluding carrier rods for the points, a motionreversing device between the rods including a rack on each rod and a gear cooperating with the racks between the rods for actuating the rods simultaneously in opposite directions, and pattern means for controlling the said actuation of the rods.

2. A full-fashioned stocking knitting machine comprising points each for forming a lace clock like the clock formed by another point, and means for simultaneously actuating the points each to form successive lace openings on the center of its clock in a stocking blank being knitted and to form lace openings at either side of the center of the clock in figures reverse to the corresponding figures at the opposite sides of the center of another clock, said means including carrier rods for the points, a motionreversing device between the rods including a rocker lever pivotally mounted between its ends and cooperating adjacent to its ends with the respective carrier rods for actuating the rods simultaneously in opposite directions, and pattern means for controlling the said actuation of the rods.

3. A full-fashioned stocking knitting machine comprising points each for forming a lace clock like the clock formed by another point, and means for simultaneously actuating the points each to form successive lace openings on the center of its clock in a stocking blank being knitted and to form lace openings at either side of the center of the clock in figures reverse to the corresponding figures at the opposite sides of the center of another clock, said means including carrier rods for the points, a motionreversing device between the rods including duplicate cams reversely actuable about a common axis, and means including followers disposed one between each cam and one of the carrier rods other than the carrier rod for actuation by the other follower for actuating the rods simultaneously in opposite directions. I

MAX RICHTER. 

